How It Must Feel
by Quitethefangirl
Summary: When Calleigh spots Delko with an attractive woman, she starts to have mixed feeling about it. Jealousy? Relief? Betrayal? Happiness? She not quite sure what she's feeling. She wants to resolve these feeling but is it the right time or is she too late? This story takes place in season 7 between the episodes 14 "Smoke Gets in Your CSI's" and 15 "Presumed Guilty"
1. Her

How It Must Feel

**Author Note: **Hey I'm back, hope you enjoy the chapter, sorry it's short.

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**1. Her**

Calleigh was in her ballistics lab analyzing some bullets for a case when she spotted Eric outside the lab.

"Hey Eric" She said peeking out the lab "You're still on for drinks tonight?" She asked him.

"Oh, crap I forgot. Sorry, I'm so sorry, rain check?" He put his hand to his head and closed his eyes. He'd really forgotten.

"Rain check? Eric Delko, do you have other plans?" Calleigh teased, smiling.

"What? Is that so hard to believe?" He asked playing along. She just smiled and walked over to microscope and looked into it.

"Yes, actually" He continued "I do have plans; I have to pick someone up for the airport."

"Oh, whom might I ask?" she said still joking; she looked up from the scope and paused.

"You don't know her" he replied. He was serious.

She tried to mask the surprise expression on her face, but it was too late. Eric looked at her, but he didn't know what to say. She was still in shock, there was an awkward silence.

"_Her" _Calleigh thought, but before Calleigh could pry any further Ryan walk up to Eric with some evidence.

"Hey Eric, -Calleigh" he looked at the both of them "hope I'm not interrupting anything, but um Eric need some fresh eyes on this data I'm analyzing. Mind if I steal him?" He said looking at Calleigh.

She forced a nod "Sure"

Thanks to Ryan he'd managed to avoid the question before Calleigh had a chance to ask it, but she couldn't help but wonder who "her" was. She was a CSI; it's her job to be curious.

She went back to analyzing the bullets, but her mind still wondered about her_. "Why didn't Eric just tell her who she was? Did he not want me to know? Was he hiding something?_" but just like the evidence she was analyzing, her thought were coming up blank.

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Review please- Quitethefangirl


	2. Jake

**How It Must Feel**

**Author Notes:** Hey, since the last chapter was so short and I had I lot of spare time before school started, I'm going to try to update the story once a week since I have some chapters in back stock, I may update soon if I feel persuaded to, i.e. REviews :)

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**2. Jake**

It was the end of the day, Calleigh was preparing to leave. She was in the locker room retrieving a few of her belongings; as she exited the locker room when a swiftly moving Eric rushes by her, nearly knocking her off her feet.

"Sorry, sorry Calleigh" he said without stopping to look at her.

"Crap I'm late, I'm late" He said aloud to himself as continued out the door.

Calleigh took a second and regained her balance. Her eyes followed Eric out the door. She stood there staring at the door; _"He's probably late picking "her" up for the airport"_ she thought _"God, why do I care so much?"_ she was pulled from her thoughts when she heard her name called. It was Jake.

"Calleigh, Calleigh" Jake waved his hand in front of her face. "Hey, Hello"

She shook her head to clear mind "Hey Jake, What do you want?" she said a little more snappy then she intended.

"Feisty, are we?" Jake smirked

She frowned "Sorry" she went over to clock out, Jake followed

"I was wondering if you were busy tonight, because-" she cut him off

"Yes, I have plans" She said quickly

"With who?"

"Jake, that's really none of your business." She turned to look at him then turn back to what she was doing.

As she clocked out, she noticed Eric had been in such a rush he hadn't clock himself out. Being the good friend she was, she clocked him out. She'd be sure to tell him he owed her one. Jake was still lingering, so she turned around to stare at him.

"I know you're not busy, I heard DELko canceled on you earlier"

She turned to face him, ignoring the way he said Delko and she asked "Now you're spying on me, Jake?"

"No," He tried to look hurt "I was walking down the hall and heard you two chatting. I'm no stalker, Calleigh. Why the cold shoulder? Are we on or what?"

"I'm giving YOU the cold shoulder? Over the last couple of months I've called, stopped by you place, texted you and never got a reply, not once. You kept me in the dark and you expected me to wait for you? You know what I can't -I can't have this conversion, again. Goodbye Jake" She noticed they were drawing an audience.

"But this conversion is not over" Jake clichéd his fist and blocked Calleigh path. He started to yell

"I was undercover, you have to understand that, I was not allowed to contact you, I was being someone else." He lower and softened his voice and grabbed Calleigh hands, lightly squeezing it. "I asked you to wait because I love you, Calleigh and I thought-I thought you loved me, too. Do you?"

Calleigh felt all eyes on her; she pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms around her chest, glaring at him. He'd put her on the spot, he'd made her feel vulnerable in front of the entire Miami-Dade police department. Inside she was steaming, she wanted to tell him she didn't love him and that they'd never work, He was just too complicated.

He'd always have an excuse, a lie really, even when they dated in the academy. He was never there when she needed him most. At first she thought it was just a rocky start, but she and Jake were just a rocky road, heading for disaster. She felt the bad blood was boiling between her and Jake, despite her inner feeling she maintained her poise.

"Oh, I see" Jake said laughing sarcastically and in a mocking tone he continued "Your waiting for Eric, how sweet. How long are going to wait? Huh Calleigh? What it's been 7 years and he hasn't acknowledged your feelings, maybe he's not that into you. You're wasting your time, Calleigh. If he were a real man, like myself, he'd asked you out by now, but he's just a boy with a crush." He tried to over shadow her petite frame with his tall body in an attempt to intimidate her. He was still blocking her way. He was furious.

But so was Calleigh, he should know better than to cross Duquesne. She wanted to slap him, she wanted yell at him, she had a few choice names her like to call him, she was armed and very much loaded, but people were watching, she had to maintain her professionalism.

"_Keep your cool, Calleigh, you always keep you cool" _she said to herself. She put her hands on her waist exposing her sidearm.

"Jake" she said in the calmest steadiest voice she could muster "this is not the place or the time for this, CSI Delko and I are colleagues and close friends" she clarify this, not to make Jake feel better, but to put to rest any office rumors their audience might start before they had the chance to even start them.

The last thing she needed was Rick Settler breathing down her back about the fraternization policies, AGAIN. It would just fuel the fire and it was downright embarrassing. She hated when he pried in her personal life, she liked to keep her private life private especially her love life.

"Furthermore" she continued "I need you to move" She pushed pass him.

He grabbed her arm and pointed his finger in her face, the room filled with tension and anger. Calleigh even heard someone gasps. She put hand on the trigger of her sidearm, ready to drawn, she looked at him, she was about to snap. Jake started to say something, but before he could open his mouth someone gripped his shoulder. It was Horatio.

"Is there a problem, ma'am?"

Horatio was dress in his normal attire, a black suit, as he spoke he looked down at his sunglasses that he held in his hands. Jake released Calleigh, she straighten herself and regaining her composer.

"No, Horatio. Jake was just leaving" she shot Jake a disgusted look.

He shook loose from Horatio grip "Get your hands off of me. Fine, have it your way, Duquesne. When you end up alone don't come looking me, we're over." He huffed as he exited the building.

"Thanks, Horatio" she smiled at him weakly and let out a sigh of relief, putting her hand to her face on embarrassment and shame. She was trying not to shake. _"Why do I fall for the stupidest men?"_

"Ms. Duquesne, you're a part of my team. Your well being is important to me." He said "you should report him" he looked up and away, putting sunglass on and his hands on his hips "and be careful, I didn't want this to end badly – for Him" he walked out the door.

Calleigh stood alone, taking a few breaths, cooling herself down. She looked around; mostly everyone had gotten back to work. A few people still stared, half-way expecting her to let out or scream or have a nervous breakdown, but the show was over.

She took Horatio advice to heart, she been more careful with the men she dated in the future. Her relationships always ended badly, the man she dated never took rejection well. Her last boyfriend repaid her rejection by blowing his brain to bites in her ballistics lab and giving her a front row view. She thought Jake wouldn't go to that extreme, but by his behavior today, she wasn't sure what he was quite capable of.

She was exhausted, the argument had worn her out; she just wanted to go home and go to bed. She exited the building and headed to her car. As she unlocked the door of her blue Chrysler Crossfire coupe, her cell started to beep.

It was a text from Eric it read "Sorry for being so abrupt earlier, I wasn't sure if I should to tell you, I didn't want you to get hurt. I found someone important. That's all I feel comfortable saying at the moment. When the time is right I'll tell you more about it, face to face."

Calleigh sat in the driver side of her car, feeling confused.

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**Sorry if the grammars bad, as of now I have no beta reader, anyone interested?** **-Quitethefangirl**


	3. Mixed Feelings

**How It Must Feel**

**Author Notes: **I got some "persuasion" and was suppose to update on Sunday, which turned to Monday, which turned to never i.e. now, mostly because school has had me so preoccupied. So I'm to updating today and again on Saturday night, I pinky promise

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**3. Mixed Feeling**

"_He found someone important? He didn't want me to get hurt? What did he mean? Was Eric seeing someone? But he told me he can't imagine living his life without me? Was that because I was in the hospital and unconscious? I thought we were moving pass friendship?"_ These thought filled her mind on the drive home. _"Maybe I should call him"_ she reached in her purse and grabbed out her cell phone and dialed his number.

It rang.

"Hello?" it was a woman's voice and she had an accent. Calleigh wasn't sure what type of accent, but it was definitely not Cuban, Russian maybe.

"Eric?" Calleigh squeaked

The lady said something in another language, it was definitely Russian. Maybe she was calling him, she didn't know much Russian, Delko had taught her a few words, greeting and such, but that was the extent of her knowledge. But even if she'd known more of the language, the woman was talking way too fast for her to even comprehend, let alone hear correctly what she was saying.

"_Why was she answering his phone?"_ she was starting to feel annoyed, but there was another feeling present, too. It was a mixer of anger, betrayal, envy and bitterness. _"Why do I feel this? What was it?" _She knew the feeling, but she refused to acknowledge it, she was feeling jealousy. She was jealous that Eric was with someone else.

Don't get her wrong; Eric had dated other women before. She even saw how he looked at the women at the strip clubs, gentleman clubs and modeling agencies; they'd go to when investigating a case. He'd always know the name of the club, where they were located and sometime he'd even know the girls, but it never made her feel like this, She knew everyone feels lust, especially men and she always knew Eric was a little bit of a womanizer, but Calleigh truly felt jealous.

He was sweet, caring and protective of her. He'd barely left she side when she in the hospital, when the whole web stalker incident happened with Cooper, resulting in her kidnapping. Eric paid him a visited and "knocked" some sense into him. When the team rescued her from her captures he'd drove her home and stayed in his car watching her and her house, every night for a week after that.

He was the one who comforted and stood by her when she was involved in an off duty shooting and blame for a woman's death. When his therapist was killed, the doctor's files become evidence. She'd read that he'd like to settle down and it be nice if it were with her.

He'd told her he can't imagine living his life without her and it the way he looked at her, it wasn't the way he looked at those other women. It was genuine and authentic, it was like a spotlight shining down on her and it was love. Of all the men in her life, Eric was the one she could depend on when she needed him.

"May I ask whose calling?' the woman asked

Calleigh snapped back into the present "Um uh, can you just tell him Calleigh Duquesne called?" she wanted to get off the phone before Eric answered because she didn't know what to say or why she'd call in the first place.

"Ms. Duquesne, Eric speaks fondly of you, he said you're his closest friends, I'm sure he'd like to talk to you, he'll should be out of the shower in second"

Calleigh didn't know want to do. She liked to say goodbye and hang up, but her southern upbringing hindered her, she didn't want be rude, so she stayed on the line. Still her mind wondered _"Good friends? He should be out the showers? What was happening over there?"_

There was an awkward silence on the phone, well at least to Calleigh it was. The woman was the last to speak. "S_hould I say something? What should say?"_ the second of silence felt like an eternity. The woman seemed to know all about her, but Calleigh don't know anything about this woman. She wanted to ask about herself, but she didn't want to be that straight forward or sound too overeager. She blurted the first thing that came to her mind.

"Yeah, Eric and I have known each other for a long time, I'm sorry I don't believe I got your name?" she said in her sweetest southern voice. In her experience asking crucial question in casual conversion was the most subtle way to squeeze out information without the knowledge of the other person.

"I'm sorry, my name Nadia Kerensky" she said

"Nice to meet you Nadia" Calleigh said "how long have you KNown Eric?"

But before Nadia could answer, Eric walked in and she hand him the phone, without an answering to the question.

"Hello? Calleigh?" he said.

_"What to say? What to say?"_ she was panicked, she said the first thing that came

"Hey Eric, Nadia seems nice I'd love to meet her." Her voice was way more sing song than it typical was, she hope he didn't notice.

"Everything ok, Cal?" he'd noticed

"Everything is great, Eric. How are you?" She sang.

This was getting weirder by the second.

"I'm, um things, hey you need something?" He'd sensed the strangeness too. It was weird they were always so comfortable around each other.

_"Eh I don't know what to say, Eric. What was with the text? Why can't you just say what you mean? Why are you messing with my head? Are you seeing someone else?" _She frustrated mind yelled to her.

But she couldn't say that, she need more evidence before she could call him guilty. Calleigh had to think fast before a black hole form in the middle of the conversion and swallowed it.

"I was calling you to tell next time you're in a rush, make sure your clock out. You don't want to be pulled over for speeding in your personal car on the county's clock, you owe me one"

He laughed.

His laughter vaporized the awkwardness and she begin laugh, too.

"That what I love about you, Cal. Your sense of humor"

She smiled "and that is what I love about you, you think I'm joking when I serious."

They both laughed.

Hearing his voice made all the negative thoughts fade. She forgot she was angry with him, she forgot about Nadia, she forgot about Jake and that confusing text Eric sent her, she forgot her worries. It was just her and him.

"Hard day?" He asked. He noticed the tension in her voice, when she was tense her voice would be overly cheerful than normal.

"You don't know the half of it" She sighed. Well he caused half of it, but by the way he was conversing he was oblivious of fact.

"What happened?" He said worried

"Bullet I was analyzing evidence that brought forth no results and—" she paused _"Should I mention Jake_" she sigh deeply and continued "I ran into Jake"

She wanted to be honest with him, even if she felt he wasn't being honest to her.

"What did he do?" Eric's voice was anger. Not toward her, but Jake. He never liked him, he thought he was no good to Calleigh and he was a snake.

"He started and argument in the front of the entire office, I really don't want to talk about. I know there's going to be story time with Rick Stetler first thing when I walk into work tomorrow."

"Well, call me when you're ready to talk about. I'm here for you, whatever you need. I love you, Cal"

"Thanks Eric, bye" she said quickly and hung up without waiting for a bye. He said he loved her, loved her and she just said thanks Eric and bye.

"YOU IDIOT, you should have said you loved him, too. Now he thinks the feeling isn't mutual, but what about Nadia? In the text he said she was important." Talking to Eric made her feel worse, she should have hung up. She felt happiness, peace, love, hate, jealousy and fear all at the same time.

She reached her house. She pulled in the driveway and walking to her door and unlocked it. She immediately went up the stair and flung herself on her bed and did something she hadn't done for awhile, she cried.

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Sorry this chapters are alittle short, but hope you enjoyed it **-Quitethefangirl**


	4. Discovery

**How It Must Feel**

**Author's Notes: **Hey it's late but its still Sunday, I very stressful day, but I have to keep my promise so here the next chapter. Enjoy!

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**4. Discovery**

That night she slept horribly, her mind raced and the tears were not short in supply. Normally she would never cry over a man, it just wasn't her. Normally she'd be strong and move on and say she was better without him, but with Eric the rules of the game were changed.

Calleigh normally possessed control over her feeling and her emotions at bay; she had secrets no one knew, not even Eric. He was her best friend; they had a good relationship and a strong bond, she trusted him with her life. Why did she block him out? Why did she build walls between them? He'd been knocking on the wall of her emotion for years. When he talked to her, he always wear his heart on his sleeve, she know his fears and dreams, but she always kept she struggles under lock and key. Now she felt all alone, not a soul knew what she was going through.

The way she felt about him were unlike any feelings she had for anyone else, she never felt the way she did about Eric for anyone else. The thought of him being with someone else when they finally started to explore their feelings for each other, tore her apart inside._ "Maybe Jake's right, Eric will never acknowledge my feelings or his own and I'll end up alone"_ she thought to herself in misery.

She looked over at the clock it read 4:05am. So sit up and looked into the mirror adjacent to her bed, she looked a wreck. Make-up smeared hair all over the place, tear stained cheeks, she looked away and put her head in her hands.

"Calleigh pull yourself together" she aloud

She got out of bed and walked over to the bathroom, she took a shower and freshened up, it did little to make her feel better. She looked into mirror over the bathroom sink.

"Much better" she smiled at her reflection and closed her eyes remembering what Eric said the night before.

"_I love you, Cal"_ the word lingered in her mind, why did he say it? How did he love her? Like a sister? Friend? Something more? The extent of Eric's love she wasn't sure. She needed to clear her mind; she went to her room and put on her black track suit and a black baseball cap. If anything could sooth her nerves it was a six block run.

She stepped out the house and locked the door, it was still dim out. Her neighborhood was quiet with the expectation a few early morning sprinkler system and a random lone dog barks here and there. She had decided to walk to the harbor and start her run from there; she looked at her watch 5:15a.m. She started to walk.

The walk was peaceful. She blocked out her thought and enjoyed the scenery, although she lived in the neighborhood, she rarely had the time to appreciate the benefits because she was always working. Her morning runs were like a tour to her, she'd see her new neighbor she'd probably never meet or the new development on someone home or the gardens someone was planting, she like this it, made her feel more human and alive. She loved to see life in action, movement because at work she normally dealt with the dead.

She reach the harbor she break into a trot, it wasn't the typical harbor. It was small and private one, only yachts of her richest neighbors were decked here and there was a guard who looked over them 24/7. Only residents were allowed to enjoy the harbors' boardwalk and trails even if they didn't own a yacht. She looked in the guard post to wave at the morning guard Randy, he was not there. _"That's weird, why the post vacant"_ she wondered as she started to run.

She was starting to pace herself when she felt something running alongside her, she felt a brush against her ankle. It startled her.

"What the?" she jumped.

She looked down and put her hand on her heart, it was a small Yorkshire terrier. When she stopped the yorkie jumped up tongue out and one paw resting on her right calf.

"Hey little buddy where did you come from?" she bend down to rub the little doggie.

The dog wagged his tail and walk around and a circle, Calleigh laughed.

She reached for the dog's collar to see where she belonged; her hand felt a warm liquid covering the dog tag. She pulled back her hand, it was blood. She picked up the dog and started to examine him. His whole under belly was cover in blood, but he had no physical bruises or marks. Something told her this was human blood and suddenly she began to become more aware of her surroundings.

She draw her gun and looked around, she noticed a trail of bloody paw prints cover the boardwalk, it would lead her to were the dog originated and possibly to the victim.

The trail lead her to a very nice yacht, it was even more blood on the side of the yacht. The yacht was a medium size; the two deck the main and sun decks, Calleigh predicted there were about four rooms in the main deck, two cabins, kitchenette and a bathroom. On the sun deck was sitting and the steering councils. She wondered how the dog managed to jump on the side of the yacht and on to the deck. Possibly something or someone helped him. She put the dog in the yacht and step in.

"Miami- Dade PD" she announced and continued into the yacht, gun aim in front of her. It was a pool of blood and there were drag mark leading to the on main deck, the body had been moved.

She want to check the sun deck first, so she could secure the scene before she proceed to follow the blood trail the lead to main deck, when she enter her exit options would be limited, she had to be sure she was the only one on the boat.

Careful Calleigh walked up to the sun deck, she noticed the black marking on the stairs, she bent down, rubber, someone or something had drag down the stairs.

Calleigh stood at the top of the stairs and quickly scanned the scene the deck. The yacht was running, someone was either planning and escape or making a getaway. There was a disturbance on the deck, signs of a struggle. There was a mess of things shattered across the floor, broken glass, seat cushions and magazines thrown around, this were it all begin.

She cleared the scene and quickly retreated down the stairs. There was silence as she pushed the door of the main deck open with her gun and proceeded to walk in, "Miami- Dade P-" she began to announce herself again when a person burst out the door. They collided; the perp successful knocked himself and Calleigh to the ground.

Calleigh dropped her gun and it slid across the deck. Calleigh was the first to get on her feet, she run to retrieve her gun, the perp scrambled to his feet. He was a middle age man, well dressed, slender built, he had black hair, she couldn't see his face and he was covered in blood. Calleigh pointed her gun at him.

"Freeze" She shouted at him "Identify yourself"

He put his hands up, turned and stepped towards her.

"I said freeze" she yelled "Who are you?"

"Thisismyboatmywifeth-theyshotth-th-theyshother" The man spoke rapidly

Calleigh let her gun down pointing it to the ground, relaxing. He was a victim. She walked towards the man and put her hand on his shoulder and looked in his eyes.

"Sir, slow down is your wife-" before she could finish the man punched her in the stomach and she hit the ground and he jumped out the boat. Her forehead hit the side railing she hit the floor hard. She felt warm liquid trickle down her face, she was bleeding.

Her head was spinning, but she couldn't let him get away. She get on her feet a little too quick, she was lightheaded she fall backwards again, this time she caught herself. She push herself to follow, he wasn't far her still had him in her sight and in the range of her gun. "Good morning, Calleigh" she murmured herself.

"Stop or I'll shoot" she screamed this time.

Before she had the chance shots rung out, she knew the sound.

It was definitely not a police issued gun, it was a sniper rifle and it was shooting at the both of them, she first priority changed from catching the perp to staying alive. She jumped out of the yacht, ducked and leaned against the yacht for cover.

"Get down and take cover" she yelled at the man, but he continued toward the direction of her house, he got hit; it must have been a graze because he continued running. "Miami-Dade PD, hold your fire." she announced herself for the third time that morning; she was getting sick of this. More bullets shot out.

Calleigh scanned the area; she had to find the snipers location. She looked up from her cover, bullet flew in her direction. This was not a domestic dispute, this was a professional hit. The sniper was a good shot but so was she. Bullets pierced the wood deck inches away for her feet, _"You should be in bed right now, but no you wanted to take walk." _She thought to herself.

From the projectile of the bullets, the sniper was either flying or post on the sundeck of a bigger, taller yacht, she picked the logical choice. He had the higher ground, but he was in short range. She could hit him if she could find him.

She calculated the position of the sniper, he was directly above her on the adjacent yacht and he was looking down at her. She was going to take a chance.

"Do or Die" she said under her breath and she stood. Two bullets rung out of her gun, before the sniper had a chance to react, she was good. A man fell from the top of the yacht and hit the deck with a loud thump. She scanned the area, she wore a frantic expression on her face, she was cover in blood, she wasn't sure if any of it was hers or not. The perp was nowhere to be seen, there was no one, not a sound, the neighborhood was quiet again. She pulled out her cell phone.

"This is Dispatch"

"This is CSI Duquesne; I'm calling to read an off duty shooting. 1035 Saratoga Yacht Club, on Saratoga Avenue in Bal Harbour, I'm requesting immediate backup and medical attention, one man down, one man on foot heading northwest. Shoot have been fired, I repeat shots have been fired."

She hung up. She was struggling to breath the world was spinning around her; she fought to maintain consciousness. She began to falter; she pulled out her phone again and pressed 2 on her speed dial.

It rang.

"Hello? Calleigh?"

"Eric, Eric I-" she gasped.

The world began to fade and she heard siren singing in the distance. She hit the ground.


	5. In Shock

**How It Must Feel**

**Author's Notes: **Late is better than never, right?

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5. In Shock

Calleigh's head was pounding, her memory was playing hide and seek with her mind and the disorientation wasn't helping either. Her senses were playing tricks on her. She scanned her surroundings. There were monitors and she was in a bed with tubes that seemed to be plugged in all over her. There was this beeping noise which seemed to be getting louder with each beep. It was confusion.

_"What happened? Where am I?" _She thought as she lifted herself from the bed she was laying in. As she tried to stand a wave of nausea hit her, almost making her stumble to the floor. She braced herself on the bed trying to gulp back her breakfast that was threatening to make an appearance_. _Just then someone walked in. Calleigh slowly turned to face her visitor praying it wasn't Eric, but of course it was.

"Great" She mumbled under her breath.

"Hey there" Eric said walking over to Calleigh side. "Get back in bed; you are in no position to be walking around." He helped her back into bed and tucked her in. Stubbornly she turned away from him, but begrudgingly complied. "I'm glad you're awake" he said as she turned around to face him, however this time she wasn't greeted by just Eric. "I hope you don't mind a brought a visitor." Eric said as he turned and presented the woman as Vanna White would a prize on _Wheel of Fortune._

_"Well does it matter if I mind? She here already isn't she?" _Calleigh thought bitterly. She felt like crap and probably looked like it too. She didn't want him to see her like this and especially not with the competition.

Eric continued "This is Nadia, you talked on the phone with her once"

Nadia was gorgeous. She was tall, like a supermodel with the looks to match; she had a foreign exotic look going for her. She had long glowing legs that were put on display by her red bodycon dress and six inch heels. She had perfectly tanned with olive skin, her hair was long and a flowing dark brown. She had intense eyes and shiny white teeth. She looked like a goddess. Calleigh thought of herself as beautiful to average everyday working woman standards, but not at model standards like this woman. Her job didn't allow a lot of glam, but she thought she was doing great with what she was working with. Nonetheless, even on her best days she didn't look as good as this woman and today of course wasn't one of her best days. She no longer felt she had competition, she felt she was playing a losing game.

"Hello" Nadia said, sticking her hand out to Calleigh. They shook hands.

_"Her handshake is even perfect"_ Calleigh thought as they finished their greeting.

"I've heard so much about you, I'm so happy to meet you" Nadia said sweetly. "Eric says you are such a great friend and I'm glad he has such a great friend like you. You know friends can be really hard to find. Most people want more than friendship; however you're a true friend to Eric just as he is to you". Her words made Eric look uncomfortable, he watched Calleigh intensely. Now Calleigh was pissed, not only did Eric bring a Glamazon model to the hospital to visit her when she was looking the crappiest of crap, was this chick marking her territory?

_"What the hell?"_ Calleigh thought. _"It's not like I don't feel bad already. Can I get a how are you feeling at least? You had to take it right there, right away? Wow! And think you said 'friend' enough? I get it; you made your point, Barbie. No need to be threatened, I'm obvious no match for you and apparently Eric isn't even interested in me, if he's always talking about how good of 'friends' we are. I can't believe this." _As Calleigh though this, the room was awkwardly silent.

"Yeah Eric's a good friend" Calleigh replied, looking at Eric the whole time. There was another short awkward silence where Calleigh continued to stare at Eric and Nadia stared at Calleigh with this look of half smirk and half disdain. "It's nice to meet you" Calleigh smiled coldly. She sat up in bed. "So do you have any leads on the person who did this to me?" She asked trying to break the awkwardness that was hanging the room.

"Yes, you won't have to worry about him anymore, He'll be in prison for a long time" Eric replied.

"Prison, did you guys fast track the trial? Wow you guys didn't waste any time. How long was I out?" Calleigh said, cheerfully.

"Well, um-" Eric stammered. Nadia cut him out rudely.

"What is Eric is trying to say-" as Nadia begin she clasped her hands in front of herself and that was when Calleigh saw it. It was a huge ring and it was where an engagement should be. She couldn't keep her eyes off it._ "What the HELL" _she thought. Time froze for a second; she toned out what Nadia was saying. _"Who gave her that ring? When did this happen?" _she tried to see Eric hand but it was out of sight. "Calleigh, are you even listening to me?" Nadia snapped "CALLEIGH!"

This made Calleigh snap back into reality. "Huh?" she said.

"I'm talking to you, but I can wait till you can give me your full attention. It not like I haven't waited long enough" she said in a sarcastic manner. Nadia looked sharply at Eric.

"Excuse me, what your problem? What do you mean you waited on me?" Calleigh asked even more confused. _"Why was she so rude?"_

Before anyone could say a word more visitors entered the room.

"HEY girl, we missed you. It's so different around the lab. No offense Nadia." Natalia said, as she entered with Horatio and Ryan. She walked over the Calleigh and gave a long, big hug. Calleigh was really confused.

"Nadia?" She asked. Her question was swallowed in the hugs and cheerful words from her coworkers, who were happy to see her, Horatio even gave her a long hug, kiss her on the head and call her sweetie. Eric and Ryan stood on one side of the bed, Horatio and Natalia were on the other side and Nadia stood at the foot. They were all talking at her and over her, except Nadia. She just glared. She couldn't focus on what they were saying. The commotion continued and Calleigh head was starting to spin, everyone was ignoring her questions. _"How long was I out? Why was Nadia wearing an engagement ring? Why was she waiting on me? Why was Nadia around the lab? Why were they acting like they haven't seen her just this morning" _she thought.

"HEY" she yelled, she couldn't take it anymore, she need answers. "What is going on? Nadia works at the lab, since when?" she knew that question wasn't the top priority question, but she wanted to know.

"Well she's a ballistic specialist and has been manning your post while you were out, the bullets were not going to analyze themselves" Natalia said in a mock sarcastic voice.

"I'm gone for a morning and you guys replace me?" Calleigh laughing dryly "Did you guys think I was dead?" she looked around at the group, Eric would not make eye contact. Nadia give her a smirk.

"We know you weren't dead and it wasn't just a day, silly?" Ryan added "She was just keeping your spot warm for you till you returned"

"Warm? How many days was it?" She asked. Ryan and Natalia finally realized she didn't know.

"Delko must have not told you, like he said he would" Natalia cut her eyes at Eric.

"I tried" Eric said still refusing to make eye contact.

"As did I, not that anyone cares" Nadia mumbled not quite under her breath, Natalia rolled her eyes at her. This cause a little whispers agreement between Ryan, Natalia and Eric. Calleigh couldn't make it all out, but apparently Eric agreed to tell her something and didn't follow through and Natalia and Ryan where less than pleased. She strained her ears to hear, but the words were not making sense, it was like her ears were jumbled. She'd had it.

"TELL ME WHAT?" Calleigh interjected loudly, panning from face to face hoping for answers. No one said anything for a sec. Horatio, who besides his greeting had been quiet til now.

"Ma'am what their trying to say is that you've been out for a year" H said solemnly.

"What?" Calleigh looking at him wide eyed "a year?" she was shocked beyond words, she was having trouble processing.

"Yeah and now that you're awake, thing can move forward like the wedding." Nadia added.

"Wedding?" Calleigh's mind was exploding. The room seemed to be getting smaller and Nadia lifted herself on the foot of the bed and started closing in on Calleigh. Closer and closer she crawled towards Calleigh face.

"Since little miss sleeping beauty wouldn't wake up," Now she was on all four, bent over Calleigh and when they were face to face Nadia grabbed her shoulders, roughly. "We had to wait and wait and wait" She hissed, she started to shake her. "Wait and wait" she continued. The room wasn't seemingly getting small, it was getting small. All the other had vanished, Calleigh was frantically trying to free herself for Nadia grasp, but Nadia continued to hiss as her and squeeze tighter. As the walls were just inches from them Calleigh was starting to lose consciousness and Nadia started words started to sound more like wake.

"Calleigh, wakeup, wakeup, wakeup" she said very quicken voice and then her voice started to sound deep more like a man's voice and she spoke and a slow exaggerated tone. Right before Calleigh lost consciousness with all her might she pushed Nadia off her.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" she yelled as she shove her off, she was much heavier than she expected. Nadia landed right beside with a thud. That was when Calleigh noticed she was no longer in a bed, but she was on a patch grass and she was drenched in water. This observation was interrupted by a thud and sound of Eric's voice next to her.

"OUCH! What was that for?" He groaned.

Calleigh shot up quickly, too quickly her head was pulsing and she was dizzy. She didn't let it faze her; she leaned forward to maintain her upright position. She scanned her surroundings; she was at the harbor a few blocks away from her house, just like she had been this morning. _"What day was it?" _she thought to herself.

"What day is it?" she asked out loud, frantically. Eric, who was drenched as well, was still on the flat ground gathering himself. Her shove was unexpected and his head had hit the pavement quite hard.

"OUCH! What? I didn't know. Why'd you push me? I pretty sure I'm going to have a concussion" he groan as he rolled to back and forth.

"I need to know" Calleigh continued in a panic, ignoring Eric's pain. She pulled out her cell phone and looked at the time and date. It was the same as it was this morning. "It was a dream, thank God." She said, relieved.

"What? A dream?" Eric was so confused.

"Wait this could be a dream." She stated starting to panic all over again. "Eric, do something to prove this isn't a dream." He rolled toward her and pinched her on the arm. "_She is losing her mind"_ Eric thought.

"OUCH! Why you do that?" she snapped and hit his hand.

"One because you shoved me first and two because you can't feel pain in dream, you did say do something. You should be more specific." He lifted his body off the ground and set next to her "So you had a dream? Was it about me?" He asked smirking. She blushed "_little did he know"_

"We should focus on the crime scene" she interjected, negated his question. She stood up, her back to the harbor, wobbly on her toes. Eric, seeing her unsteadiness got up quickly behind her, ignoring the pounding of his head, in case she crumbled once more. "Is the man ok?" she asked weakly, slightly leaning on Eric for support.

"What man?" Eric asked, though Calleigh.

"He was on the yacht, he was covered in blood and he punched me when he was trying to escape, but when he ran out he got shot and he fall." She said. He had to have seen him; he fell right on the path.

"Are you sure that this wasn't part of your dream?" he asked, jokingly.

"I'm quite sure it wasn't, the yacht is right there in harbor 2T" she turned around to point at it, but it was empty. Eric furrowed his eyebrows, he didn't see any yacht, but he saw in Calleigh's eyes that this was real to her.

"That harbor has been empty since I got here and I was here in minutes of your call. I think I would have seen something on the water." Eric said.

"Well what about the blood on-" she touched her black track jacket, it was wet, but with water. The blood that covered it earlier was gone.

"My jacket" her voice faded, this didn't make any sense. "There has to be bullets, I heard at least a round being shot off. There have to be some spent rounds around here somewhere" her voice trailed off again. She scanned the area. She saw not one bullet, not even in places she was sure bullets had fallen. There was nothing. She scanned the area. Nothing of the crime she had just witness was visible even the yacht was gone she don't even see in the water. It was impossible. Eric furrowed his brows. The way she was acting had him very concerned. "Cal, maybe you should take a breather. What meds do the doctors have you taking your lungs? And what are the side effects? Hallucinations? " Eric asked, half joking and half not.

"I'm not hallucinating. That was a man covered in blood in a yacht that was docked in this harbor that was shot and there was a sniper I shot him, it happened" she said panicked. She stressed the last affirmation to convince Eric as well as herself. She couldn't find a logically explanation how a totally crime scene could vanish. She needed to find evidence. She had to prove it actually happened. "I need to investigate" she said deliriously. With haste she staggered to the harbor, searching. Eric quickly followed behind her trying to stop her.

"You" Eric said following her "Are going to do no such thing, when I could hear before my recent head injury, the ambulance did sound too far behind me. "Though Horatio does see it as necessary for him to have medical attention most of the time, you know how he is about us." She nodded, He was right; H would be pretty furious, especially since her recent "taste" of fire. However, she was going to show him she wasn't crazy and that something fishy was going on. As she continued to the harbor despite Eric's protest. She was so confused and her head was spinning, yet she continued move expeditiously around the dock scanning and scanning, with in Eric close proximity. "Nothing, there's nothing" She whispered. She had pushed herself too much and could barely see straight. She started to collapse and Eric caught her. As she fell into his open arms she saw it. Under the porch of the house adjacent to the harbor was the yorkie and it was covered in blood.


End file.
